DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Cy the Cynic would say that assumption is the root of many disasters. But declarer must often assume something about how the missing cards lie.

Unlucky Louie declared at today’s four hearts. West led the jack of clubs, and Louie won and led a diamond: deuce, jack, queen. East returned a diamond, and West took the ace and led a low spade.

This time Louie played the king from dummy, muttering that whatever he did would be wrong. East won and returned a spade to West’s queen. Louie later picked up the trumps with a finesse, but he was down one.

Missing aces: Louie can make one assumption: that East has the king of trumps. But East is a passed hand and is marked with the queen of clubs, so Louie shouldn’t place him with both missing aces.

At Trick Two, Louie leads a diamond to the king. As the cards lie, he will have a chance for an overtrick. If East had the ace of diamonds, Louie would later play West for the ace of spades and East, therefore, for the king of trumps.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ A1082 ♥ K5 ♦ Q76 ♣ Q 9 8 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he rebids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner has described a hand with six hearts, four diamonds and minimum values. If he had extra strength, his second bid would have been two diamonds or three hearts. You have a close decision, but you hold three useful honors. Jump to four hearts. East dealer

Both sides vulnerable